Christmas Without Him
by Lazy Moon Vampire
Summary: aizen and his underlings are dead except for gin but he isn't allowed back in the SS. it's rangiku's first christmas without her childhood friend and even though she tries she can't forget about him. short sweet christmas fic dedicated to megcaboto4ever!


short little christmas fic............enjoy! :D told from gin's pov

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Battles flared on fiercely everywhere you turned. Tousen Kaname was fighting his old friend, Komamura Sajin, and former lieutenant, Hisagi Shuuhei. Kyoraku Shunsui, Ukitake Juushiro, Aikawa Rabu, and Otoribashi rose, were all raging war with the number 1 ranked Espada, Stark. Halibel was killed by Aizen a few minutes ago, and Barragan was just defeated by Soi Fon and Hachigen. All the Vizards had come to help just moments ago, but Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends were nowhere to be seen. The ground was stained with blood and corpses, the sound of swords clashing, and kido exploding filled my ears, but none of it mattered…..none.

Rangiku….she had just recovered from her wound, a devastating blow to her abdomen, but she was back on her feet and standing right in front of Aizen, a defiant look in her eyes. She couldn't possibly mean to fight him, right? I gripped my zanpakutou tightly, carefully observing her …. possibly predicting her next move. She shifted slightly as I immediately brought shinso up into fighting stance. What she did next probably surprised Aizen a lot more than he showed; she released her shikai and charged right toward him. He raised an eyebrow, as if he was amused by her feeble attempt at wounding him. Aizen easily dodged her first attack, for it was very straight forward, but he did not realize that Rangiku's first attack only used a small amount of her ashes. He used an advanced bakudo to block the attack, and then barely dodged her next slash.

The expression on Aizen's face gradually changed from amused to serious, but Rangiku's face…..what was it? I saw intense concentration, but at the same time she appeared to be thinking about something else. I saw anger, a rare emotion for fun loving ran, but there was a certain sadness, hurt in her beautiful amber eyes. I saw deep hatred reflected in her every movement. I saw her clutching the hilt of her sword so hard that her blood trickled down. I saw small tears run down her face; I was probably the only one who noticed that, but it completely killed me inside to see her cry……Rangiku.

Out of the corner of my eye saw Tousen, in arrancar form, shift into attack position; he was planning to help Aizen!! I slyly pointed Shinso in his direction, and 2 seconds later Tousen was down. Komamura stared at his dead body, eyes wide, and started to look around to find the culprit. When his gaze reached me, he shook his head as if to say 'no way' and turns his attention to tending his and Hisagi's wounds.

I tense unconsciously…..I didn't like it…..the way this battle is going. Aizen seemed like he was getting pretty serious, and that only spelled trouble. Then I saw something completely terrifying, Aizen had struck Rangiku in the stomach with twin byakurai, and she went down. He smirked that ever evil grin, and approached her bleeding body as if he had all the time in the world.

"You are fairly strong Matsumoto Rangiku, but your measly powers are no match for my own. Be glad, for as a reward I will kill you with my sword," he spoke as he drew his blade. Kyouka suigetsu was completely unsheathed now. Aizen raised it, and as soon as the blade showed signs of coming down, I moved.

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Rangiku's pov

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I felt a splash of blood splatter on my face, the gooey liquid rolled down my face like tears, but this blood; it wasn't mine!!!! I cautiously tilt my head up, and what I saw will forever be engraved in my mind. Aizen's body was disintegrating into ashes as if his life force was being sucked out, and standing right in front of me was the person whose blood I had on my face, my childhood savior, Gin. Kyouka suigetsu had cut him right down his shoulder; the cut was deep and bleeding fiercely but Gin seemed to be no pain. Shinso had pierced right through Aizen's heart, but for the time being he was still alive.

"Your weakness, Aizen, is your overconfidence. You seal your sword when you go in for the kill,"

"Gin….you…if you knew that then you could've just killed me from over there. Why did you come here and get deliberately wounded?" he hissed, clearly in deep pain.

"It's something that you'll never understand. You lose, Aizen." spoke Gin and the last of Aizen drifted off into the wind. Gin turned around, and on his normally unreadable expression I saw, just a little, but it was there, a small touch of concern, worry, sadness.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice bearing the same expression, as he reached out to touch me.

"Don't you dare lay a single finger on her, Ichimaru!!" shouted an intimidating voice. I tilted my head just enough to see the speaker, taicho….. Gin's hand stopped mid-way, and he withdrew it back to his side.

"Hitsugaya-taicho-han," he smirked, "it seems that you do not trust me,"

"Of course not, Ichimaru. I haven't forgotten what you did to Hinamori," growled taicho, venom in his words

"Well…..that's understandable; after all I've played my part quite well,"

"Your part, Ichimaru?" questioned Yamamoto-sou-taicho

"Yes, you heard me right, Yamamoto-sou-taicho-han. Ah….gargantua…." he trailed off as he turned his head. Everyone started in the direction of his gaze as the sky ripped apart revealing Ichigo and Unohana-taicho.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, Unohana-taicho," greeted Yamamoto

"Sou-taicho, where is Aizen?" inquired Unohana-taicho

"He has been killed,"

"What! By who? Yourself, sou-taicho? Hitsugaya-taicho?"

"No, Unohana-taicho, it was Ichimaru," interjected taicho

"What? Ichimaru?" she muttered in shock, turning toward him, "you killed Aizen? Without receiving a single wound?"

"Wait, Unohana-taicho!" exclaimed the sou-taicho, "Aizen cut Ichimaru right down the shoulder,"

"Down the shoulder? Are you positive, sou-taicho?"

"Yes, indeed. We all saw the attack; Aizen was able to wound Ichimaru gravelly before he died."

"But Yamamoto..." started Ichigo, "Ichimaru doesn't have a single scratch on him,"

Huh? What?! Gin didn't have a scratch?! My eyes move toward his shoulder, expecting to see a deep cut and blood seeping through his clothes, but it was gone. The cut, the blood........everything. He was perfectly healed, in just a mere 2 minutes, tops.

"High speed regeneration, Unohana-taicho-han," he stated, earning stares of disbelief, amaze, and great interest from everyone

"Tousen also had high speed regeneration in his Vizard form. Is this an ability from your other form, Ichimaru?" questioned Komamura, breaking the silence.

"No.......my other form, as you put it, has....how do I put this...more interesting powers. The regeneration is simply my sword's power."

"What do you mean? Shinso means death lance, how can it heal you?"

"Is this relevant, Yamamoto-sou-taicho-han?"

"Relevant or not, Ichimaru, just answer the question," insisted Yamamoto.

Gin's expression was unreadable, and his tone was light and joking, but I'm sure everyone could tell that he didn't mean the smile he wore. I simply sat there, clutching my wound, trying to think when a great wave of nausea and pain swept over me; my hand instantly flew to mouth as I coughed violently. Taicho and Unohana-taicho were at my side in seconds, and everyone turned toward me at the sound. I slowly opened my eyes and gazed at my hand. All I saw were blurs, blurs of black, white, skin, and blood red. My vision went completely foggy as I shut my eyes and fell. Unconscious but still conscious; I heard Unohana-taicho say that I had lost too much blood and that I would be out for a few days. Once it was clearly established that I would fine he spoke, Gin spoke.

"I assume that you will not be allowing me or stark to return to the soul society, Yamamoto-sou-taicho-han,"

"You assume correctly, Ichimaru,"

"Ah, can't be helped. Come on stark we'll have to go back to Las Noches," he beckoned in a false tone as he turned his back toward us. Stark and Lilinette were at his side the gargantua opened, and as he walked into the gaping black hole; Gin, he stopped.

"Hitsugaya-taicho-han, may I ask a favor?"

".......yeah, Ichimaru,"

"Look after her for me, will you? Keep her safe......."

Gin's voice.........it wasn't his normal false joking tone, no; this Gin was the Gin I first met all those years ago. So he hadn't changed all that much........he just kept it hidden........for some 120 years.........but why? Why would he keep his kind self locked away? Why did he go with Aizen in the first place? And his last words, twice directed to me.........what did they mean? Gin.......... my final thought before everything went black.**

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**1 week later, Rangiku regained consciousness and a week after that it was Christmas Eve****

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"Matsumoto……oi Matsumoto!!!" shouted a gruff voice, waking me from my dream. I slowly willed my eyes open to find a sour looking taicho staring at me with a scowl, "why are you sleeping, Matsumoto?"

"Well……."

"Get back to work!!" he exclaimed so loudly it made me jump right out of my seat and made me scurry right out the door. It was Christmas Eve, and even though the soul society didn't really take part in real world traditions; Yamamoto-sou-taicho thought that after the war everyone deserved a break and a celebration. Since Christmas fell right on the party date we all decided that this party should be a Christmas party!! Under the supervision of Ichigo and friends everything would be just like the living world's celebrations except better!! Even though taicho told be to get back to work…………. I needed to finish my Christmas shopping!

"Good after noon, Matsumoto-fukutaicho," greeted the shinigami on senkai duty as a hell butterfly landed on my finger a guided me to the living world. The gate opened in the basement of Urahara's shop, but seeing as they were all in the soul society preparing for the party the store was empty. I helped my self to my gigai and set out to the Karakura shopping district.

As I skipped down the overly crowded streets I let my mind wander…………..Gin. For most shinigami, this would be their first Christmas, with the exception of most of the captains and me……. When we both first became shinigami, Gin took me to the living world Christmas Eve to show me the wonders of the place. He told me about Santa-san and how he traveled the entire world in one night giving presents to good little boys and girls, he told me that the humans decorated evergreen trees with tinsel, ornaments, popcorn strings, and a star or angel at the very top, he told me about mistletoe and holiday tales like Rudolph and the Grinch (I had cried during both…..), and he told me that Christmas was a time for spending time with the ones you loved. The next day, under the small tree we had set up in his office, there was a small package addressed to me from Santa. Inside was a necklace, the one that I still wear today. It didn't take me long to figure out that 'Santa' was really Gin, and even though he didn't admit it he still gave me a gift every year……….. I guess this year will be my first Christmas with out him. I entered the last shop on the street with a solemn expression that quickly turned into surprise when I saw who was inside, looking at accessories, a tall man with shaggy dark hair.

"Stark!!" he immediately turned at my exclamation.

"Huh? Wait, you're………….Matsumoto Rangiku!"

"Yeah, but how did you know? I don't remember telling you my name,"

"You're Ichimaru's girl, how could I not know you?"

"EH?!?!?! Who told you that I was……I'm not……." I denied, fighting a cherry red blush

"You're not? From the way he talks about you everyone assumed……….."

"He talks about me?"

"Yeah, only all the time," _Gin_……….._he_………….

"Oh, why are you shopping, stark?"

"Well, while Ichimaru was telling us about you, he mentioned Christmas, and one of the fraccion thought that it would be great if we had a Christmas of our own. So here I am trying to figure out what Lilinette would like."

"Oh, so who's leading Hueco Mundo?"

"Ah……both me and Ichimaru but Ichimaru,"

"Doesn't like to lead. That's Gin for you,"

"Yeah and I don't like to lead either so it's really Lilinette doing everything,"

"Well, it was nice talking to you,"

"Yeah, I gotta go, but I'll tell Ichimaru you said hi, k?"

"………..yeah," I replied with a smile as the cashier handed me my change and a large bag filled with gift wrapped presents. I exited the store and headed to Urahara's and minutes later I was making my way toward the tenth division and my room. The old door creaked open like always as I calmly entered my quarters and laid my gifts on the floor. I fell on my couch and gazed at the small Christmas tree, the same tree that I used on my first Christmas. Upon further inspection, I noticed that there was a package wrapped in pink wrapping nestled beneath the small tree. I crawled over to it and carefully scooped up the neatly wrapped present. I undid the wrappings with trembling hands……….. maybe…………just maybe…….. any hope that I had instantly resurfaced. The package contained a bracelet….. along with a note

Dearest ran,

One hundred years ago, I gave you a necklace.

I hope you treasure this as much as you have my previous gifts.

Even with out me I am sure you will have a great time.

Best wishes, 'Santa'

Wha……….Santa?! In seconds I was out the door and trying to pinpoint his reiatsu…….Gin……… I ran as fast as my body would take out of the Seireitei into the Rukongai forest, the place where we would play when we were kids……..before everything was messed up.

I stopped abruptly in the middle of the woods…….this reiatsu, Menos!! I whipped all around; they were everywhere! I instinctively reached for haineko, but felt nothing. I had left in such a hurry; haineko was still in my room! The Menos started to close in as I slowly backed up away from them……….against a tree. My eyes darted around in fear; they were upon me now. So……….this was how I was going to die, huh? On Christmas Eve……….in some godforsaken part of the forest. They started to charge cero. I clasped my hands together, shut my eyes tight, and prayed with all my heart………..Gin……..Gin if you're out there……..

"Ah……..guess it can't be helped. Ikorose, shinso!" in a single flash all the Menos were disintegrating just like Aizen when Gin killed him. I looked up and he was there, sheathing his sword, clad in his shinigami uniform and captain's haori.

"Gin………… is it……….really you?" I stuttered; standing up. He turned toward me and gave me a sad smile, not a smirk, and pulled me into a hug.

"Yeah, I'm back, ran," he whispered into my ear. Gin held me tight, like he was afraid that……………. he would lose me……., "I'm sorry ran,"

"Gin….all's forgiven. You're here now and that's all that matters,"

"Ran…." He softly and slowly released me and I saw a gin that I had only seen once, when he first saved me, a gin that showed his emotions. Now the reason I didn't know what gin was feeling was that he himself didn't know what he felt. I saw happiness, sadness, guilt, remorse, regret, relief, all swirled into one person.

"You alright ran?" he asked while he reached out to touch my face. His hand gently caressed my cheek as I let out a breath of relief. All that sadness, anger, confusion that I had felt………..just one touch from him……..it all disappeared.

"I'm fine," now that you're here…….. he leaned in so close I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin, so close that his hair mingled with mine, so close that………… his lips glided against mine. My breath hitched as his hand tilted my chin up and he bent down……..and kissed me. My eyes slowly drifted shut as I arms wrapped around his neck; my hands playing with his hair. The way his lips moved with mine; it felt like heaven. When we broke apart for air, I could help but miss that feeling. He pulled me into another embrace, but this time I snuggled into the crook of his neck. We stayed like that until gin muttered something. My eyes went wide as I brought my head up to look him straight in his eye, which, surprisingly, were open.

"Gin…..what did you just…….."

"I love you, Rangiku………….but I wouldn't blame you if you didn't," he started before I cut him off with a kiss.

"Don't you dare think like that, gin," I spoke into his chest with frustration. I had denied it for years, even to the point where Nanao was starting to notice something, but I really………I really loved him, "I love you, gin. All of you,"

"Ran….." he trailed off as brought me into another kiss, and, might I say, it was absolutely, definitely better than the first one.

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bit of a rush job so srry 4 my horrible grammar..........

my christmas present to you guys, so merry christmas! :D

oh! one more thing, this is dedicated to megcabot4ever, my BFF, who has found herself in a very complicated............relationship? is that the word.............. oh well merry christmas to you guys, megcabot4ever, and brambleclawFTW!! :D


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